Steering mechanism for road-engines.



G. A. ANDERSON. STEERING MEGHANISM FOR ROAD ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.23,1909.

Patented Jan.31, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

GJA. ANDERSQN. STEERING MECHANISM FOR ROAD ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 23, 1909. m n lg? Eafiente Jan. 0 1911.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 27 r drweniov (P22 01541?! fie/WK ensrer Anvil) ANDERSON,

F \VAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE srnneine MECEANISIE E03, RGAF-iENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent, fipplication filed December 23, 1909.

Patented Jan. 33-1 15911, Serial no. 534,710.

To all whom it comm:

Be it knownthat I, GUsrAi ARVID AN- person, a citizen siding at l Vayneshoro, in. the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new andsnseful -improvements in Steering Mechanism fo Road- Engines; and I do hereby declarethe fol lowing to be. a full, clear, and exact description of the inventiorn such as will enable others skilled in the art to Whichit appertains to make and use the same.

i This; invention relates to mechanism for steering steam roadrollers and other similar road engines; and it consists of a turntable constructed as hereinafter fully described and claimedand supported from the boiler at the'front end portion of the engine.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of the steering mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the steering mechanism.

A is a portion of the steam boiler of a road-roller of any approved construction,

of the United States, re-

A being the front portion of its firebox portion.

B a hearing which is secured to the front end portion of the boiler shell, and J is a learing secured to the firebox in line with the bearing l3.

D is 'a frame provided with side-bars d which are arranged at an acute angle with each. other, and 7) are two crossbars secured between the middle parts of the side-bars d. The crossbars .7) are pivoted to the bearing l3 by means of a pin 7).

A triangular box a is secured between the rear end portions of the sidebars (Z, and is provided with a projectingpivot c which is journaled in the bearing C.

y is asteeringshaft journaled in bearings on the box a, in a vertical position, and provided with a sprocket-Wheel e on its upper end outside the box.

F is a worm-wheel secured on the shaft E inside the box. and is a driving-shaft which projects from one side of the boX. rw 4 .N' ihe shaft f is ou1naled 1n beaimgs on the box, and a worm 7' is secured on it in gear with t-hewornrwheel F. r1, 1 r v V ihc box has a remowable 00am, and 18 preferably partially filled with oil so that the Worm'and Worm-Wheel are constantly hihrlcatedf- Any other" approved driving bieviees he need for oscillating the steerbe t round ing-shaft l3, and any approved form of handle or hand-Wheel is operatively connected with the driving-shaft.

G is a circular ring or turntable-track secured to the front end portions of the sidebars d.

H is a square frame formed of suitable bars. and brackets secured together and arranged inside the track G.

I is the shaftof the steeringwvheel which is secured in the frame H, and z is the steering wheel formed of two or more Wheel-sections journaled side by side on the shaft 1.

The frame H is provided with hearings in Which are arranged radially of a point it which is at the intersection of the axis of the steering-Wheel 2' with the axis of the pivots b and 0. The bearings h are arranged in pairs, and they project above and below the trac G.

J are rocking-barsprovided at their mid dle parts with pivots Which are journaled in the bearings 71 The end portions of the bars J are provided with pins in, and K are conical wheels or rollers journaled onthe pins/o and running in contact with the top and bottom surfaces of the track (i. The rocking-bars J and their wheels are arranged at similar intervals around the turntable.

The frame H is formed of resilientma\ terial, either Wholly or in part, so that it is to some extent flexible, and it is secured to the shaft l at one end only by a set-screw i or other fast ning device. The other end portion of the frau'ie H is free to rock ivotally to a limited extent on the shaft I, and this construction enables the Wheels or rollers to bear with greater uniformity upon the track and also compensates for slight in'iperfections of the track such as roughness or distortion.

L are rockingbars pivoted at their middle portions to the frame H by pins m, These bars are arranged in pairs at equal distances apart around the frame H, and M are rollers journaled on pins m carried by the end portions of the bars L. These rollersfM bear against the inside of the track G. I

N are two curved segments secured to the upper part of the frame H, and a is. a flexible driving-connection which passes over the sprochetwvheel a, and which has its ends and secured to the curved seging its ends connected ments The driving-connection is preferably formed of a piece of drive-chain havto short lengths of wire-rope which are connected to the segments.

The frame D rocks on its pivots as the steering-wheel passes over uneven ground; and the turntable is oscillated by the steering-shaft and connections to guide the en gine, without having its motion interfered with by the rocking motion of the engine.

P are two scra aers provided with arms 39 which are pivoted to the frame H by pins 2, and arranged one on each side of the steering-wheel.

R is a connecting-rod which passes through holes in lugs r on the scrapers; and 1* is an adjustable spring carried by the end portion of the rod R, and operating to press the blades of the scrapers simultaneously against the periphery of the steering-wheel, and thereby preventing mud from adhering to its surface. The resilience or flexibility of the frameH also prevents the scrapers from being too rigid, but its chief advantage is that it permits the devices to be operated successfully after the track has been sprung out of its true shape.

What I claim is:

1. In a steering mechanism, the combination, with a support, of amain frame pivoted at one end and end with a turntable track, said frame and track being arranged to rock on a horizontal axis, of a turntable-frame mounted on the said track and free to turn on a vertical axis, a steering road-wheel journaled in the turntable-frame, and steering mechanism for oscillating the turntable-frame and roadwheel.

frame, and steering-devices for oscillating the steering-wheel and its frame on a vertical axis.

In a steering mechanism, the combination, with a boiler, of a rear bearing secured to the firebox portion of the boiler, a front bearing depending from the main portion of the boiler,-a frame having side-bars arranged at an angle to each other and having its middlepart pivoted to the front bearing and having a pivot at its rear end which is mounted in the rear bearing, a turntable-track secured to the free front end at its middle part to. the said support and provided at its freeportion of the said frame, a frame lHOUI1t8 on the said track, a steering-wheel earricc by the last said frame, a steering-shaft journaled vertically in the first said frame between its said bearings, and steering-mechanism for oscillating the steering-wheel eperatively connected with it and with the said steering-shaft.

&. In a steering mechanism, the combination, with a stationary support, of a frame pivoted at its rear end and at its middle part to the said support and free to rock on a longitudinal axis, said frame having at its rear end a'box for oil, a turntable-track secured to the free front end portion ofthe said frame, a frame mounted on the said track, a steering-wheel carried by the last said frame and movable on a vertical axis, a steering-shaft journaled vertically in the said box, a worm-Wheel secured on the said shaft inside the said box, a worm gearing into the said wormwheel, aneperatingshaft for the worm journaled in the said box and projecting from it,and steering devices for oscillating the steering-wheel op eratively connected with it and with one end portion of the steering-shaft which projects from the said box.

5. In steering-mechanism, the combination, with a turntable track,of a turntableframe, a steering wheel journaled in the said frame, arms having their middle parts pivoted to the turntable frame and'provided at their ends with rollers which bear against the inside of the track, and Wheels also carried by the'turntable frame and running against the top and the bottom of the turntable track.

6. In a steering mechanism, the combination, with a turntable-track, of a frame arranged within the said track, a steeringwheel journaled in the said frame, a series of arms having their middle parts pivoted to the said frame, rollers journaled in the end portions of the said arms and bearing against the inside of the said track, two series of arms having radially arranged pivots at their middle parts for connecting them with the said frame, and .wheels carried by the end portions of the last said arms and running against the top'and the bottom of the said track respectively.

7. In a steering mechanism, tion, with a turntable track, of a turntableframe, a steering wheel journaled in the the combinasaid frame, arms having their middle parts One end portion of the frame, the other end In testimony whereof l have aflixed my gorticiln'fof the frame belilng1 free to riocix 0n signature in the presence of two Witnesses. he s a t, a steering-W ee mounte oose T T on the said shaft, rollers carried by the said I GUSTAF ARVID Ah DERSON' 5 frame and bearin on'the said track, and Witnesses: 1

steering-devices tor oscillating the said I HENRY F. NoYEs, -frame and wheel. I. S'rovnn P111012. 

